

Control Button / Dial Positioning / Size (7.25)
The controls on the Kodak EasyShare C344 are better - in terms of size, labeling and simplicity of interface - than many point-and-shoot cameras on the market. This is always a design area where Kodak excels and the C344 is no exception, with the camera's stripped down simplicity offering a great introduction for novice users. The only problem with the controls came in their actual employment when the four-way control tended to be sticky and cumbersome, and the clacking of the mode dial and motion seemed more appropriate for a children’s toy than a digital camera. Because of the sticky four-way control, quick movement through the menu structure was largely impossible without concentration on the part of the photographer. This aside, the utter minimum of controls, their large size, accurate placement and proper labeling make the external interface of the C433 a great option for tentative or novice photographers as well as those with physical impediments or larger hands.
Menu (7.0)
The menu system found with the Kodak EasyShare C433 is quite user friendly. The menus feature a light blue background with a dark blue header while selected sub-menu parameters are displayed with a golden bar. Accessing any of the following menu structures can be accomplished by pressing the well-labeled Menu button on the back of the camera body. The menu system is navigated by pressing the up and down arrows on the four-way control. The only overall problem with the menus isn’t actually the menus, but it’s the cheap four-way control that slowed down navigation speed with its clunky interface and clacking on/off.
It would have been nice for Kodak to outfit this lower-priced model with a live view when making adjustments to manual settings in shooting mode. As it is, users will need to guess as to which white balance, exposure compensation level, ISO speed and long time exposure setting should be used when photographing. If an incorrect setting is selected, it will necessitate the user re-entering and re-adjusting each parameter in a process that while simple, isn’t all that quick.
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Shooting Menu
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Self Timer
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single shot, 2 seconds shutter delay, 10 second delay, 2 shot 10 second delay
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Exposure Compensation
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+/- 2 EV with 1/2 EV step increments
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Picture Size
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4 MP, 3.5 MP (3:2), 3.1 MP, 2.1 MP, 1.1 MP
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White Balance
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auto, daylight, tungsten, fluorescent
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ISO Speed
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auto, ISO 80, ISO 100, ISO 200, ISO 400, ISO 800 (1.1 MP resolution)
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Focus Zone
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center-weighted, multi-zone
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Color Mode
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color, black and white, sepia
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Long Time Exposure
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none, 0.5 seconds, 0.7 seconds, 1.0 seconds, 1.5 seconds, 2.0 seconds, 3.0 seconds, 4.0 seconds
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Set Album
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accesses pre-loaded album titles
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Image Storage
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auto, internal memory
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Setup Menu
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opens setup menu structure
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Setup Menu
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Return
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return to shooting, scene, video and playback menus
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Camera Sounds
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all on, shutter only, all off
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Auto Power Off
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10 minutes, 5 minutes, 3 minutes, 1 minute
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Date & Time
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YYYY/MM/DD HH-MM
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Date Stamp
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Off, YYYY MM DD, MM DD YYYY, DD MM YYYY
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Video Date Display
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None, YYYY MM DD, MM/DD/YYYY, DD MM YYYY, YYYY MM DD HH-MM, MM DD YYYY HH-MM, DD MM YYYY HH-MM,
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Language
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twenty language options
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Format
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memory card, cancel, internal memory
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About
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Firmware version
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Playback Menu
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Album
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opens pre-named albums (naming must occur on computer and then be transferred to camera)
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Crop
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rectangular display, proportions and position determined through zoom and four-way control
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Slide Show
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begin show, exit, interval (adjustable in seconds, loop off/on)
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Multi-up
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nine frame multi-up thumbnail view
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Copy
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picture, exit, all
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Protect
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on, off
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Image Storage
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auto, internal memory
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Picture/Video Information
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general picture info (no histogram)
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Setup Menu
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opens setup menu structure
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| Page 5 of 13 | Modes | ||